Be very careful with vanity publishing and do not and I repeat DO NOT PAY ANY MONEY UP FRONT and sign a contract only to get your name in lights!
What you should be looking for is a sound publisher and if your work is good enough they will take you up on the offer. Some writers think their work is wonderful and cannot understand it when they receive a rejection. They just don't see their book as a publisher might see it.
There are some key ingredients to having a book published. You either have those ingredients or you haven't read up on the subject enough. I spent ages reading the key factors of a good romance novel. I probably still don't have what it takes for the future, who knows? The main thing to remember is that this whole business of being a novelist is a challenge and a way of life not a money earner unless you drop in lucky. With time you can learn how to make it happen. It took me ten years and I suspect there are others on this forum who took longer to get published.
The main thing to remember is to ask around and go to workshops and writing conferences. The York Festival of Writing is coming up in September. It's a wonderful place to get started. There are loads of agents and publishers waiting to read your novel on a one to one basis. There you will receive feedback.
Don't be in a hurry, take your time. The Writers and Artists' Yearbook can be overwhelming but many of the publishers and agents in the book are well known. You are on the right track asking around, but please whatever you do, don't jump in with both feet!
Good luck
Lin
